The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen’s YouTube channel gave a lot of us solace and something to look forward to during the start of quarantine, which is why their fall came as a shock to many of us. After Solha El Waylly’s Instagram post that revealed how the BIPOC Test Kitchen favorites weren’t being paid, many of us vowed to stop watching until this issue was resolved.
It’s been months since negotiations broke down between the BA Test Kitchen staff and Conde Nast, which led to a mass exodus of the Test Kitchen stars from the channel and basically ended all the shows.
Although we do not at all condone how Bon Appétit’s parent company Conde Nast severely mistreated our favorite chefs, we still miss the hell out of watching Priya’s parents randomly popping up, getting a Gourmet Makes episode notification and the warm and wonderful personalities in front of the Test Kitchen cameras.
If you’re short of quality cooking content, here are some YouTube food channels to fill the BA shaped void in your heart:
Tasting History with Max Miller
The premise of Tasting History is brilliantly simple, we’re kind of mad we didn’t come up with it ourselves. Max Miller (the channel’s host) brings you back in time by recreating ancient recipes from old texts and manuscripts while discussing the history behind the food. He tries his hand at making dishes like parthian chicken, anglo-saxon oatcakes and even mussels the way it used to be enjoyed in ancient Rome. It’s fun, it’s educational and watching Max try the ancient food he makes is enough reason to give it a watch.
Nino’s Home
At first glance, Nino’s Home may seem like the run-of-the-mill ASMR, visually pleasing recipe channel, but turning on the video’s subtitles will prove otherwise. The subtitles contain funny, colorful (and shady) commentary on what Nino’s thinking while he’s cooking. Added bonus: he also has a cute cat that makes an appearance in every video.
Liziqi
The Chinese countryside is an unlikely place to find a YouTube star, but that’s exactly what makes Liziqi so special. Liziqi makes traditional Chinese dishes using fresh ingredients from around her little homestead and creates a feast for the eyes. Another reason her videos are worth the watch is because they’re shot so beautifully and really gives you a sense of peace (which is what we all need, tbh).
English Heritage’s The Victorian Way
If you’re a fan of period dramas like “Pride and Prejudice” and “Downton Abbey,” you should definitely check out English Heritage’s The Victorian Way cooking series. Set in the late 19th century, The Victorian Way follows Mrs. Crocombe’s period-accurate routine as the head cook for an English estate. We could honestly spend hours listening to her narrate how to make Christmas pudding with her soothing lilt.
The Art Assignment’s Art Cooking
The Art Assignment’s Art Cooking segment marries two things that people should enjoy more often—great art and great food. Sarah, the show’s host, prepares recipes and meals from the lives of prolific artists like Frida Kahlo, Vincent Van Gogh and Andy Warhol to name a few. She also peppers in stories and anecdotes about how these artists lived and enjoyed their meals. Her funny cooking commentary is also a gem that makes us leave the autoplay option alone.
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Watch and learn: YouTube channels to tune into for food, film or art knowledge